Man arrested for damaging property awaiting pretrial

By BOB OLIVER Times-Herald Newspapers DEARBORN — A 34-year-old Dearborn man awaiting a pretrial hearing on a malicious destruction of property charge is suspected by police in several other incidents in the area this month.

Omar Hamade was arraigned in front of 19th District Court Judge Mark Somers July 17 on the charge of malicious destruction of personal property. The charge is a misdemeanor carrying a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a $500 fine.

Bond was set by Somers at $5,000 and a GPS tether upon release.

The pretrial hearing is set for 9 a.m. Aug. 26 before Somers.

At 11:30 p.m. July 14, police responded to the 400 block of South Waverly for a report of a damaged vehicle.

Officers arrived and spoke to a witness, who said he confronted a man standing next to a 2012 Yukon Denali that had several scratch marks along the driver’s side door. The witness said Hamade also was holding two stones in his hand, which he dropped before fleeing before officers arrived.

After a lengthy investigation, officers arrested Hamade at his house in the 100 block of South Waverly July 16. He was arraigned the following day.

Police Lt. Patti Penman said police were investigating numerous reported cases of vehicles being maliciously damaged in the same neighborhood between July 4 and July 14 and had been conducting surveillance runs when the witness observed Hamade near the Yukon and notified authorities.

Police Chief Ronald Haddad commended the witness for notifying the authorities and the officers for their investigation.

He added that the streets are safer with Hamade in custody.

“This type of serial offender will never be tolerated as it erodes the security of the community,” Haddad said. “We will prosecute these offenders to the fullest degree possible.”